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After breaking a tooth, it’s easy to be filled with panic. If you’re dedicated to protecting your pearly whites, a damaged tooth can seriously hamper your confidence and impact your chewing function. To avoid this nightmare scenario, we encourage you to consider teeth bonding in Coral Gables.
Esthetic teeth bonding is an easy and long-lasting cosmetic procedure that fixes issues like chipped teeth and broken fillings for immediate tooth repair. However, this procedure does have its limitations. We recommend following these steps to ensure a smooth recovery and longer-lasting results.
First things first, what is teeth bonding?
Dental bonding is a simple and convenient cosmetic dental procedure that offers noticeable results. During the treatment, a dental professional applies a tooth-colored composite resin to one or more of your teeth to repair damage and cover any aesthetic issues.
For instance, dental bonding can fix a defect or imperfection, such as a chipped tooth. It can also close small gaps between teeth and increase the size or modify the shape of a tooth to achieve a more symmetrical smile.
Teeth bonding is a simple procedure that doesn’t require anesthesia (unless you’re filling a very large cavity), so you won’t need to explore sedation options during treatment. Bonding is also more cost-effective compared to other cosmetic procedures.
Treatment time takes between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the number of teeth being subjected to reparations. Before the actual procedure, your dentist will start by choosing a composite resin color that matches your natural teeth with a color chart.
Then, they’ll roughen the surface of the tooth slightly and apply a liquid that helps the composite bond to the tooth. Only then will your dentist start applying the composite resin over the liquid, shaping it to ensure the desired appearance for the tooth.
The material is then hardened with ultraviolet light. Once the resin has solidified, your dentist can file and reshape the tooth if necessary.
Teeth bonding is a very simple cosmetic procedure, but it also has some limitations worth considering.
For starters, dental bonding is less durable than other repair options, so it works best in areas of the mouth with low bite pressure, like your front teeth. It’s also best suited for teeth that need only minor reparations.
In cases where dental damage is significant or in the molars, your dentist may recommend a veneer or crown instead. Nowadays, there are even solutions like CEREC® crowns, which only take a day to complete.
Besides keeping your mouth healthy, another benefit of bonding is that you do not need to follow any special aftercare instructions. Dental bonding has no recovery period, meaning you can go about your day eating and drinking freely. You can even drive yourself home immediately after treatment.
That said, composite resin is not as durable as your natural teeth, so proper care is required to ensure its durability. Otherwise, your repairs can break or wear down progressively. Although uncommon, additional risks like allergic reactions are still a possibility.
Here are some things to look out for after the treatment to ensure your bonded teeth look great for years to come.
Some patients experience tooth sensitivity the first few days after dental bonding, but it should never be to the point of excruciating pain. If you’re experiencing unbearable pain, contact your primary dental assistance provider.
To manage sensitivity, we recommend avoiding very hot or cold foods and beverages. You can also take over-the-counter pain medication if needed.
After bonding, it is normal for your teeth to feel a little weird. This feeling might be familiar to you if you have had dental work done, such as orthodontics.
Our mouths are extremely sensitive to changes, and the addition of resin may cause your tooth to feel wider or differently shaped. Some patients particularly feel discomfort in their lips and tongue.
This may impact how you speak in the initial hours after treatment as you get used to the new feel. However, the resin added to your teeth will become less noticeable over time.
In certain cases, excess bonding material that comes into contact with the gums during the bonding process can cause irritation. This should be mild and will fade away shortly after.
However, you can soothe the discomfort by rinsing with a saltwater solution.
Bonding may not last as long as other treatments, like veneers, so maintaining proper oral hygiene is key to extending its durability.
This includes brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing to clean between your teeth, and rinsing with mouthwash to get rid of any leftover bacteria.
Additionally, schedule a routine cleaning appointment with the dentist every six months.
Certain oral hygiene products don’t work well with composite resin. Mouthwashes containing ethanol or alcohol can damage the composite resin bonding if used regularly.
The same goes for your toothbrushes. When it comes to composite bonding, hard or even medium bristles are too abrasive and should be avoided.
Toothpaste that includes activated charcoal for whitening is also too harsh on enamel and composite materials for daily use.
Although bonding is a fantastic repair for a broken or chipped tooth, it’s not immune to stains and won’t keep your teeth white. Because of this, foods such as tea, red wine, berries, and sports drinks can cause spots and discolorations.
Additionally, you should try to avoid acidic foods like soda and juice, which erode composite resin and enamel. You’ll also want to avoid hard or crunchy foods like nuts, hard candy, and pretzels, which can chip the resin.
When eating with bonded front teeth, don’t bite down directly into hard food. Instead, chew slowly with the sides of your mouth.
Activities like opening packages, popping bottles, or taking tags off clothes can break the bond between the materials and chip your composite repairs. This also holds true for common bad habits like chewing pens and biting nails.
Teeth are for eating. Any other activity should be conducted with the tools designed for that purpose, be it bottle openers or scissors.
Tobacco is another common teeth stainer. Some studies also suspect that cigarette smoke impacts the adhesive properties of restorative materials; however, conclusions are still unclear.
What has been proven is that smoking weakens the tooth enamel, making your teeth more susceptible to cavities and in need of constant dental restorations. Additionally, smoking increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease.
Because of these risks, dentists and many healthcare professionals always recommend quitting smoking altogether.
Wearing a mouthguard can be key to maintaining your dental bonding if you engage in sports with a high chance of impact. Contact sports or sports with accident risk, such as cycling, can lead to unexpected dental trauma, chipping your composite bonding, or even damaging a healthy tooth in worst-case scenarios.
Additionally, sports like weightlifting put significant strain on the body, which can cause teeth grinding. Wearing a protective night guard is a must if you clench or grind your teeth at night. These can be bought over the counter or made specifically for you by the dentist using a mold of your teeth.
Although highly rare, some patients experience an allergic reaction to the materials used in composite bonding. This may be the case if you experience itching, swelling, or rashes in and outside your mouth and throat.
If you think you’re experiencing an allergic reaction to the bonding materials, seek immediate attention. A dental professional will conduct an allergy test to identify the specific allergen and explore alternative treatments available.
The typical lifespan of dental bonding is five to ten years, though this can vary depending on several factors.
A tooth bonding’s durability depends a lot on where the repair is located. Make sure to follow a thorough dental hygiene regimen, wear a night guard, and avoid hard and crunchy foods to ensure your bonded teeth can last for a long time.
As you can see, teeth bonding is an attractive solution to cosmetic dental issues. Although it cannot be used for extensive reparations or fixups in zones that suffer from heavy pressure, it’s a procedure worth considering for certain cases.
Are you still unsure if dental bonding is for you? Don’t worry! Your go-to dental professionals at Coral Gables Dentistry will assess your situation and help determine the best solution for you. If you’d like to learn more, reach out!
We value your time, so we always run on schedule, respecting your commitments, with no double bookings and minimal wait times. Experience dentistry like never before in our award-winning clinic.
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